Hospital Services

Whether you need a little help along the road to recovery or around-the-clock medical care, St. Mary’s Medical Center is here for you. Get healing support near you from a knowledgeable team of medical professionals who offer:

Inpatient Vs. Outpatient Hospital Services

If you have a test or procedure performed at a hospital but are not admitted, you’re an outpatient. Common outpatient procedures may include X-rays, labs, and emergency room visits. If your doctor admits you to the hospital for an overnight stay, you’re typically an inpatient.

One exception to this is if your doctor places you on observation status. In this case, you may stay overnight in the hospital but are still considered an outpatient. If you’re a Medicare patient, your status can affect your coverage. Visit Medicare.govto learn more.

Heart & Vascular Center

Our hospital is home to the Essentia Health St. Mary’s-Heart & Vascular Center in Duluth, Minnesota. Our cardiologists, surgeons, and medical teams work together to offer advanced heart and vascular care. To make an appointment, call 218-786-3443.

Learn more about the specialties and services at our center, including:

24/7 Emergency Room

If you or a loved one have a severe or life-threatening medical concern, rely on our 24-hour emergency room. St. Mary’s Medical Center is a Level I Adult and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center and is a Primary Stroke Center. Rest easy knowing life-saving support is as close as your local hospital.

Emergency Care Fast Track

Get quick and efficient treatment for minor medical concerns when you can't see your regular doctor or go to an urgent care. The Fast Track is a section of the ER that handles less-severe medical cases to reduce wait times. Each private room has a reclining chair, rather than a bed or exam table, for added comfort.

Comprehensive Critical Care

Rest easier knowing critical care is nearby. St. Mary’s Medical Center has six distinct intensive care units (ICUs), from a cardiac ICU to a neuro trauma ICU. Each ICU has medical teams trained to provide 24-hour critical care for specific types of injuries and illnesses.

Baby-friendly® Designated Birthplace

St. Mary’s Birthing Center is here to support you throughout your birthing experience. We do our best to follow your birth plan while keeping you and your baby as safe and comfortable as possible. As a Baby-friendly® Designated Birthplace, we use best practices to encourage mother-baby bonding and breastfeeding.

Nearby Lodging

The Sheraton Duluth Hotel is connected to Essentia Health’s downtown medical campus by skywalk. Only a few blocks from St. Mary’s Medical Center, it’s a comfortable, nearby place for friends and family to stay. The Sheraton also offers a medical rate and a free, daily shuttle service from 6 am to 10 pm.

Book a Room

Call the Sheraton Duluth Hotel at 218-733-5660 to book your room. When making your reservation, ask for the Essentia Health medical rate. The medical rate applies to traditional rooms for families and friends of patients at Essentia Health hospitals as well as patients visiting our clinics.

To learn more about guest rooms, hotel amenities, and Restaurant 301, visit sheraton.com/Duluth.

Compliments & Complaints

If you’d like to share a compliment, concern, or suggestion, please contact our administrator James Garvey. You can also fill out our online compliments and complaints form.

Support Our Hospital

Have you been inspired by the care you or a loved one received? Support your local hospital by donating to the St. Mary’s Medical Center Foundation. The Foundation provides financial support to St. Mary’s Medical Center with help from patients and family members like you.

Parking & Entrance

Construction is affecting traffic and parking on our downtown Duluth campus. You may need extra time to get to your appointment.

Patient Information

Joint Commission Accredited

This location is accredited by the Joint Commission. This internationally recognized symbol of quality represents our commitment to providing exceptional patient care. View all our awards and recognitions.

Amenities

St. Mary’s Medical Center is one facility on Essentia Health’s medical campus in downtown Duluth. In and around our hospital, you'll find three cafeterias, a restaurant, two coffee shops, two gift shops, and ATMs all reachable by skywalks. In the St. Mary’s Medical Center building alone, you can take advantage of our:

Gift Shop

In our gift shop, you'll find plush toys, clothing, jewelry, decorations, greeting cards, candy, foil balloons, and fresh flowers. The gift shop is in St. Mary’s Medical Center on the 3rd floor next to the East 4th Street entrance. All gift shop proceeds go to the St. Mary's Medical Center Auxiliary, which supports patient programs and services.

Order items by phone and have us deliver them to a patient in our hospital. Call 218-786-4475 to place your order with a credit card.

Garden Café

The Garden Café is a restaurant offering breakfast, lunch, specials, and to-go items. Choose from savory and sweet breakfast offerings, salads, and sandwiches. The Garden Café is in St. Mary’s Medical Center on the 3rd floor next to the East 4th Street entrance. All proceeds from the Garden Café go to the St. Mary's Medical Center Auxiliary, which supports patient programs and services.

Northern Lights Café

The Northern Lights Café is our cafeteria on the main floor of St. Mary’s Medical Center. During breakfast hours, you can enjoy the chef’s special, fresh fruit and yogurt bar, cereals, muffins, sweet rolls, bagels, and more. For lunch and dinner, you can choose from items hot off the grille, savory entrees, fresh-baked pizza, soup and salad bar, sandwich bar, desserts, and grab-and-go items.

Chapel

Visit our chapel on the 2nd floor of the St. Mary’s Medical Center. People of all faiths are welcome to enjoy this tranquil, healing space for meditation and prayer. Learn more about spiritual care at Essentia Health.

Guest Wi-Fi

Take advantage of free guest Wi-Fi.

Volunteer

Help make St. Mary's Medical Center a caring and compassionate place of healing. We have a wide range of volunteer areas for both youth and adults. Whether you wish to work with patients and visitors or behind the scenes, we can help you find something that fits your interests.

Volunteer Opportunities

You don’t need experience to volunteer. You just need to be willing to share your time and talents. Explore volunteer opportunities, such as:

Benefits of Volunteering

Besides the great feeling you’ll get by helping others, you’ll also enjoy:

Free parking

Free flu shot

Meal for every three hours of service

One-day Essentia Health fitness pass for every 25 hours of service

Special recognition events

References for education programs

Orientation, training, and workshops

Networking opportunities

Become a Volunteer

Join our team of volunteers at St. Mary’s Medical Center. If you have questions, email volunteerservices@essentiahealth.org or call 218-786-4420. When you’re ready, fill out an online application below.

Essentia Health St. Mary's Medical Center Auxiliary

The St. Mary's Medical Center Auxiliary is one of the fundraising arms of the hospital. Besides running the gift shop and Garden Café, the Auxiliary holds a wide range of fundraising events. All proceeds benefit our patients, families, visitors, and staff. They also offer scholarships to area college students pursuing careers in health care.

Leadership

Meet the leaders of St. Mary’s Medical Center.

Management

James Garvey, Senior Vice President, Operations

Cindy Kent, Chief Nursing Officer

Anne Stephen, MD, Chief Medical Officer

Board of Directors

David Herman, MD, President

Jan Baldwin, MD

Sister Therese Carson

Jeff Corey

Howard Klatzky

Joseph Leoni

Joseph Mihalek

Sister Beverly Renier

Alan Rock

Sister Mary Josephine Torborg

Laura Trombino, MD

Renee Wachter

Chuck Walt

History

Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center owes much to its pioneers. After more than 125 years, we’re seeing patients from across northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

History Timeline

1881 | Benedicitine Sisters, who later founded the Monastery of St. Scholastica, arrive in Duluth.

1888 | St. Mary’s Hospital is established at 20th Avenue West and 3rd Street in Duluth’s West End neighborhood by a small group of Benedictine Sisters.

1892 | The Duluth Community of Benedictine Sisters is founded—committed to establishing a health care ministry in Duluth.

1911 | A larger St. Mary’s Hospital building opens at 404 East 3rd Street.

1997 | St. Mary’s merges with Duluth Clinic to form the SMDC Health System.

2004 | Essentia Health is formed as the parent corporation of the SMDC and Benedictine health systems.

Today, Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center is one of northern Minnesota’s largest and most specialized medical centers. Through the leadership and sponsorship of the St. Scholastica Monastery, St. Mary’s Medical Center continues to carry on the spirit of the Duluth Benedictines.

Essentia Health Downtown Duluth Campus

Essentia’s medical campus in downtown Duluth, Minnesota, allows you to get more of the care you need in one location. All the medical buildings on our campus are connected by skywalks. You’ll find these buildings on our campus: